(1694) Token Elephant - LON DON

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,640 • VF20 • 06-2008 • Heritage Auctions

Description

Identifiable by the clear separation between "LON" and "DON" as two distinct words in the reverse legend "GOD PRESERVE LON DON," this London Elephant Token variety uses Hodder reverse die D and is distinguished from the LON/DON diagonal break variety where the separation results from a die crack rather than intentional spacing. Cataloged as W-12060, Hodder 2-D, and Breen 190, this variety is rated R.5 — scarce but more available than the Sword Right or Brass varieties in the Elephant Token series. The London Elephant Tokens, produced around 1694, feature an elephant on the obverse and the "GOD PRESERVE LONDON" legend on the reverse, and they circulated in both England and the American colonies where they served as small-denomination coppers in a period of acute coinage shortage. The split "LON DON" spelling reflects either an intentional design choice by the die engraver or a spacing error that created a visible gap between the two halves of the city name. The distinction between intentional spacing and die-break separation is an important attribution point, as the two varieties have different origins despite producing superficially similar visual results. This piece belongs to the Pre-1776 Private and Regional Issues (1616-1766) series and represents one of the earlier English tokens that circulated in North America, predating the more systematic private token issues of the later colonial period.

Rarity Notes

R.5. Scarce but more available than the Sword Right or Brass varieties.

Cross References

W-12060, Hodder 2-D, Breen 190